Method of collecting gums from trees.



'PATENTEDfAUG-ll, L903.`

` J. G.l GARDNER.

METHOD OE COLLECTING GDMS EEOMTEEEs.

APPLICATION FILED PEB. 17, 1903.

Hol MODEL Negreasee,

UNITED STATES estema segua 11, 190e.

ATENT OFFICE,

JOSHUA G. GARDNER, OF SAVANNAH, GEORGIA.

SPECFICATON forming par?, Of Letters Patent N0. 735,869, dated August 17.1, 1903.

Application led February 17, 19(33. Serielle. 148,888. Chlo model.)

To all whom/zit may concern:

Beit known that I, J OSHUA G; GARDNER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Savannah, in the county of Chatham and State of Georgia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Methods of Collecting Gams from Trees, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a certannew and useful method of collecting gums from' pinetrees for obtaining rosin and turpentine, and aims particularly to prevent the evaporation,

oxidation, and drying of the gum during its collection, as well as preventing impurities from admixing with the gum.

The method is also adapted to increase the life of the trees, the natural life-of which is shortened hy the methods usually employed for collecting the gum, owingto the fact that with known methods the natural life of the tree is shortened by the constant hack-ing and chipping thereof lto form a fresh wound to obtain the gum, whereas in the method to be hereinafter set forth this constant hacking or chipping is prevented.

The methods now generally employed for obtaining gums from 'pine-trees practically have destroyedl half of the turpentine-yieldingtrees of the South, owing to the fact that. cuts are made in the tree approximately onet'hird of its diameter to form a wound, and this cut-away portion is continually enlarged to form a fresh wound during-the sap-flowing season. Generally this formation of a fresh' wound is done weekly. This weekly hacking or chipping cuts away an average of one inch and in ive years destroys the-life of the tree.

The ordinarylife of the tree is from forty to fifty years, and the present methods in vogue generally destroy the tree in live years, owing to the constant chipping or hacking to obtain a vfresh wound, whereas according to the method hereinafter set forth it would take about forty-eight years to chip off six feet upward from the tirst wound along the outside of the trunk, owing to the fact that it is not necessary to open a wound in such a frequent manner, for the reason that the gum'- collecting crate is adapted-to t in the cutaway portion of the tree-and up against the wound, and thereby excluding air and light, consequently preventing the drying of the the wound is out.

wound and the oxidation of the gum; also thessy tree, and-,second,the obtaining of virgin rosin.

. To more fully set forth the method, refer- 'I ence is had to the accompanying drawings, in whichf Figure 1 shows yan elevation of the trunk of a tree broken away at its'top and further showing the collecting-crate in position. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the collecting-crate. Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the collecting-crate; andFig. 4 is asectional elevation-.of a portion of a tree, showing the arrangement of the gum-collecting crate within the incision and against the wound. l

The method of collecting the gum according to this invention is carried out as-follows: An incision 1 is made into the trunk of a tree 2, so as toform supporting-shoulders 3. This incision l is formed by any suitable means,v

and at the same time that the incision is made After the incision 1 and wound have been made the gum-collecting crate 4, having an open top and closed sides and bottom, is placed in position. The inner Wall of the crate tis of such contour as to fit snugly against the rear wall of the incision,

,- and the front wall of the crate 4 is substantially segmental in form, so, as to conform to the contour of the tree. Preferably the front and inner walls of the crate are segmental incontour, as the rear wall of the incision is preferably segmental in contour. V The crate 4 is substantially as wide as the depth of the incision and is formed atits top with a flange 5, adapted when the cratee is in position to rest against the shoulders 3.. The latter then support the crate.

the inner wall thereof lies against the rear.

wall of the incision and the peripheryof the front wall is flush with the periphery of the trunk of the-tree. By this arrangement of the crate the wound is prevented from"rap idly drying, owing to the fact that light and air are excluded, as the open top of the crate When the crate is in position, the top edge of the sides, front, and

IOC

is against the wound. Furthermore, the gum is prevented from being oxidized or evaporated, and, furthermore, impurities are prevented from admixing with it. tVhen it is necessary to form a new wound in the tree, the trunk is cut away one-eighth of an inch above the wound in such a nianner'as to form shoulders similar to the shoulders 3, and the first-mentioned shoulders are cut off sim-nltaneously with theformation of the new shoulders. The crate is then moved upwardly oneeighth of an inch and supported by new shoulders, which are of the same contour as the shoulders 3. It will be evident that owing to the fact that but one-eighth of an inch is cut away to form the new wound it would-take about forty-eight years to cutaway six feet of the trunk. It will .also be levident that this slight cutting away will increase the life of the tree over that of the methods now generally employed, for the reason that the trunk is cut away in such a manner in the method now in vogue that the life of the tree is only five years. This cutting away ofthe trunk, which is necessary in the method now employed, is about one inch, and it is evident that the y small cnttinflr away of the trunk, as set forth by this new and novel method, will materially increase the life of the tree over that of the cutting away of an inch of the trunk, as is done inthe known methods. It may not be K,necessary to open the wound of the tree by cutting in the manner as set forth, for the reason that the crate 4 excludes the air and prevents the wound from drying up; but if it be necessarya cut of one-eighth of au inch is all that is required. It will also be evident that as the crate does not project or extend away from the periphery of the trunk ofthe tree it cannot be interfered with by cattle, which is an objection to the projecting crates now in general use, and it will furthermore be evident that owing to the fact that the crate dts in the trunk of the tree 4in such a manner as to prevent entrance of impurities and the drying, evaporating,'an'd oxidizing .of the gum the gum collected in the craie will always yield virgin rosin.

Itis thought the many advantages of my improved method for collecting gums from trees, particularly in the preventing: of the oxidizing and evaporating of the gum, the drying of the wound, and the mixing of impurities with thegum as it is being collected, will' be readily understoodvfrom the foregoing description, taken in connection withthe accompanying drawings, 'and it will furthermore be evident that changes, variations, and modifications can be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or sacrificing any of 'its advantages, and I do not, therefore, Wish to restrict myself to the specific details as hereinhefore described and as shown in the accompanying drawings, but reserve the right to make such changes, variations, and modifications as come properly within theV scope of the protection prayed.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by lLetters Patent, is-

l. A method of collecting gum from trees which consistsin cutting an incisiony in the trunk of a tree, and then arranging a gum collecting receptacle in the said incision in close proximity to the wound to prevent the drying thereof, the oxidation of the gum and the collection of external impurities.

2. A method of collecting gum. from trees, which consists in cutting an incision in the trunk of a tree to form the wound, and then placing a gum-co`llecting receptacle in the incision so as to collect the gum and to prevent the evaporation of the gum during,r its collection.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribingwitmesses.

JOSHUA Gr. GARDNER. 

